I want to voice some good comments and concern or suggestion for improvements.

Many of you have been into riding WAY longer than I, have worked at a resort or instruct and are just generally more knowledgeable or connected to a resort and the sport.

A few quick questions:

Do they take these type of suggestions seriously

It will be a good message not just a bitch letter, do they usually respond

I will provide my background info to five them a feel of who I am, and not just some guy complaining or am I...

BA, Wolf, Cro and all members would really like to hear your thoughts on an approach I should take if "any"... or would it just be wasted time...

Not really good points /\ but I think you guys see what I'm trying to do. I have talked with the GM via FB messages but not about anything I would currently write or in person.
Really just trying to provide info that I hear from all kinds of people that I meet on the hill. Being a dad sometimes left riding alone I get the chance to meet all sorts of people. Families, kids, other orphaned dads etc...

I want to voice some good comments and concern or suggestion for improvements.

Many of you have been into riding WAY longer than I, have worked at a resort or instruct and are just generally more knowledgeable or connected to a resort and the sport.

A few quick questions:

Do they take these type of suggestions seriously

It will be a good message not just a bitch letter, do they usually respond

I will provide my background info to five them a feel of who I am, and not just some guy complaining or am I...

BA, Wolf, Cro and all members would really like to hear your thoughts on an approach I should take if "any"... or would it just be wasted time...

Not really good points /\ but I think you guys see what I'm trying to do. I have talked with the GM via FB messages but not about anything I would currently write or in person.
Really just trying to provide info that I hear from all kinds of people that I meet on the hill. Being a dad sometimes left riding alone I get the chance to meet all sorts of people. Families, kids, other orphaned dads etc...

They might not reply if you send a personal email, but if you do it facebook style, I think they would have too. It would leave a bad impression to everyone if they didn't answer you, which would grow as the days & responses grew. Eventually they would have to answer you, the people would demand it.

Other orphaned dads. I like that..

TT

__________________
If whatever doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.

I see your point TT, but I'm also not trying to flame them or get everyone ganging up on them with my post either. I truly want them to understand what I feel and hear from others. This may also be a minority but we are the locals with the season passes. I'm not sure if we are their bread and butter or the bus tours from Chicago. So forget about us and concentrate on bringing in the tour groups. It's a messed up dynamic for us Mid-westerners with no mountain.

Worst part here is they just started a FB page. The current FB page that most people use is not run by the hill itself, how messed up is that. With that being said I am concerned that they are WAY behind in the times and/or don't care.I thought of sending a FB message so only they see it.

Some members have posted on their new FB page expressing their concerns, mostly on the FB page they don't run. As I said they just got a FB that they run up.
Many of us regulars kinda post accurate hill info to help other riders. It is called as it is, conditions, park, service. If it is bad you'll know if it is good props are thrown out to the hill

I see your point TT, but I'm also not trying to flame them or get everyone ganging up on them with my post either. I truly want them to understand what I feel and hear from others. This may also be a minority but we are the locals with the season passes. I'm not sure if we are their bread and butter or the bus tours from Chicago. So forget about us and concentrate on bringing in the tour groups. It's a messed up dynamic for us Mid-westerners with no mountain.

Worst part here is they just started a FB page. The current FB page that most people use is not run by the hill itself, how messed up is that. With that being said I am concerned that they are WAY behind in the times and/or don't care.I thought of sending a FB message so only they see it.

Some members have posted on their new FB page expressing their concerns, mostly on the FB page they don't run. As I said they just got a FB that they run up.
Many of us regulars kinda post accurate hill info to help other riders. It is called as it is, conditions, park, service. If it is bad you'll know if it is good props are thrown out to the hill

See, I don't know your concerns, so it's hard for me to accurately guide you in the right direction.

I have a Facebook Pseudonym, just for such occasions.
I'm big on voicing my opinion, but sometimes I would like that opinion to be anonymous.

Depending on what your trying to convey, maybe using the Facebook that's not affiliated with them, would be better, or vise versa?

TT

__________________
If whatever doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.

Most resorts/hills are open to suggestions from there vocal population. They also tend to search out opinions via random surveys.

Do provide feedback to your mountain, but back it up with why it would be a good idea (i.e. problem experieinced, followed up with potentional solution(s) to said problem). Or a suggestions and the return on their investment they might experience from taking such action (not all ROI is about money).

If you want a reply, just ask for one in your letter, call, online post, or email. Do make sure you leave them contact information they can follow up with. If they contact you back wihthin 30 days (probably less if they are any good) then you know they are open to suggestions. If they don't then you know that they aren't.

Do remember that the response that you get my not be a yes. They might know the idea is a good one, but that doesn't mean that is is a feasible choice.

PS. If you want a real response that might start a line of communication I would stay away from Facebook. Especially in this case since you mentioned that the page that was started for the resort was not started and managed by the resort itself.

PS. If you want a real response that might start a line of communication I would stay away from Facebook. Especially in this case since you mentioned that the page that was started for the resort was not started and managed by the resort itself.

great points especially this one. I think email will be the best form of contact. I was planning to leave my contact info including my cell # to show sincerity on my part. I do want the hill to continue to be successful and enjoyable as I get to reap those rewards in the form of riding at an enjoyable hill.

Slyder, it's definitely worth doing. I emailed a couple of times to Seymour this last season -- and not only did they take my suggestions seriously, I actually had a short email conversation with the park manager about beginner park features and such. We ended up with IMO the best beginner line we've ever had at Seymour, and turned an otherwise disappointing season into a pretty good one.

Lucky, this is Alpine Valley. The park last year was brutal. The crew did try and they did build a cool hip jump that I loved. This is not about the lack of snow. Rather the lack o of maintenance or up keep of the park and the total lack of features. Memory is a bit slow but I think they only had one box. There were a bunch of features lying around the side of the hill, literally, and a few more near the maintenance building.
The features that were up were mainly for advanced park riders. The canon pipe and an incredibly dangerous flat landing area. The whale tail landing was a sheet of ice, the battleship rail was set onto a huge platform placing it another 3 feet up and if you came off it you would also crash off the platform the rail was mounted into.
The jump line was pretty good but for a long time the 1st jump had a pretty decent sized booter coming to a very flat landing, pain in deed.

I'm just trying to ask for a park that many people can enjoy not just the advanced riders. Install some of the other features that we know they have. Make some decent lines to hit features down the entire run. They have made a huge capital investment in the form of the new lift but as you know if you ride there, lift tickets and passes are not cheap.

Here are a few pics of the common features we had to ride last year and it looked like this most of the season

If you look close behind the kink you will see the cannon pipe

This is the rail I learned to ride rails on, I actually had a lot of fun learning on this. This one was only up for about 2 weeks before they took it down

I learned how to ride an up-down

I hope these added details help and don't come off as whining. I am not a park rat, and am new to park. I still now decent setup's and maintenance when I see it, or not.

Yeah, looks pretty sketchy from those pictures. I didn't get out to Alpine last season, but I have ridden Alpine many times in seasons past. I can agree that I have never been a huge fan of the features and flow of the park, and a majority of the jumps and jibs had oddly built and poorly maintained landings..

I think Tyrol does a nice job with their park. I also think that Granite Peak is doing great things all around..

It pains me to see Devilshead managed the way that it is. I have so many great memories of family trips to DH as a kid. I could put together a 3 page rant on Devilshead, but I'll spare you that.. If I had the money, I'd buy Devilshead and fix that place. I think it has sooooo much potential..

Anyway, good luck in your dealings with Alpine. Put me down as another rider that would love a well built, well maintained park at Alpine..